REGISTER | ADD TO CALENDAR 1 | ADD TO CALENDAR 2 | PERMALINK
On Wednesday May 20, 2026, the Council on Technology and Social Cohesion hosts ‘Global Expo 2026‘ with the theme ‘From Harm Mitigation to Intentional Design‘. This hybrid event has two segments, the first based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, shortly followed by another based in Washington DC.
In 2026, the global conversation around tech design reached a critical turning point. For years, the focus has been on content moderation and responding to “bad actors.” Today, a fundamental shift is underway — moving away from mitigating harms toward the intentional design of technology that fosters trust, collaboration, and peace, this evento brings together many of the people shaping that shift — technologists, civil society, researchers, regulators, and peacebuilding practitioners — in one global program across multiple time zones.
FIRST SEGMENT – Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (All times UTC)
08:00 – Welcome: How the Council on Tech and Social Cohesion advances healthy tech design through policy, practice and product
Lena Slachmuijlder – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
Samara Papieva – Search for Common Ground, Central Asia
08:15 – How regulation is shaping tech design
Niamh Hanafin – Coimisiún na Meán
Marie-Eve Nadeau – 5Rights
Moderator: Lena Slachmuijlder – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
08:45 – Tackling Digital Harms: how African civil society groups are advancing change
Caleb Gichuhi – Build Up
Megan Grazier – Build Up
Hussam Abualfatah – Build Up
09:15 – Making Sense at Scale: how deliberative tech is reshaping participation
Christine Odera – Youth, Peace Security Coalition, Kenya
Mridul Upadhyay – Youth, Peace, Security Advocate, South Asia
Victoria Stanski – Common Good AI
Moderator: Samara Papieva – Search for Common Ground
10:15 – When polarization pays: fixing the incentives behind social media
Carlos Hernández-Echevarría – Fundación Maldita
Victorie Rio – What to Fix
Moderator: Lena Slachmuijlder – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
10:45 – Building Trust through Tech: Central Asia experiences of digitalization and inclusion
A panel of government and civil society representatives, names TBD
Moderator: Samara Papieva – Search for Common Ground
11:55 – Closing
Samara Papieva – Search for Common Ground, Central Asia
SECOND SEGMENT – Washington, D.C. (All times UTC)
14:00 – Welcome: How the Council on Tech and Social Cohesion advances healthy tech design through policy, practice and product
Kristin Hansen – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
Ravi Iyer – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
Nick Zuroski – Alliance for Peacebuilding
14:10 – Evolutions in Tech Design: a Fireside chat with Jigsaw
Beth Goldberg – Jigsaw
Moderator: Kristin Hansen – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
14:30 – Tackling TFGBV by design: how policy, product and practice intersects
Katya Vogt – IREX
Asha Allen – Center for Democracy & Technology, Europe
Gabe Freeman – Technologist, Integrity Institute
Moderator: Nick Zuroski – Alliance for Peacebuilding
15:15 – Bringing the social back to social media: design choices of emerging platforms
Christos Floros – monnett
Bach Bui – Roundabout / New_Public
Vardon Hamdiu – Sparkable
Moderator: Lena Slachmuijlder – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
16:30 – Design can be a liability: what next after the US court cases?
Tiffany Gillis Brown – Tech Justice Law Center
Camille Carlton – Center for Humane Technology
Moderator: Ravi Iyer – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
17:00 – When algorithms change, what changes?
Jonathan Stray – Center for Human-compatible AI, UC Berkeley
Leif Sigerson – Technologist, Integrity Institute
Moderator: Ravi Iyer – Council on Tech and Social Cohesion
17:30 – When prosocial design hits the gaming ecosystem
David Grüning – Max Planck Institute
Julia Kamin – Prosocial Design Network
18:00 – When AI helps the mediators: Lightning Talk
Tyler Thomson – Expeditionary.ai
18:15 – Tech for listening & sense-making: Spotlight on The Forum
Kristin Hansen – Civic Health Project
18:55 – Closing
Nick Zuroski – Alliance for Peacebuilding